Louis Oosthuizen quits LIV Golf, will return to DP World Tour in 2027

Louis Oosthuizen announced on social media on 21 October 2026 that he is quitting LIV Golf. The former Open champion said leaving the circuit was difficult and has made him decide to change the direction of his playing career.

Oosthuizen has 11 victories on the DP World Tour and won the Open Championship in 2010. The league filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the United States in September after Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund withdrew its multibillion-dollar backing. LIV has secured a possible $300m (£224.2m) in financing from BC Partners Credit in order to try to move forward with the 2027 season.

In a social media post, Oosthuizen reflected on his move to LIV and his support for team golf, saying: "Five years ago, I made one of the best decisions of my life, moving away from the traditional golf world and into something very special with LIV Golf and Southern Guards GC." He added: "I'm the biggest supporter of team golf and always will be. Golf needs more of it." He concluded the post by saying: "This is probably the hardest decision I've had to make in my career, but I have to do what I believe is right for my golf."

Oosthuizen, 44, spoke about managing his schedule and his remaining competitive years, saying: "I realised I have a lot more in me, and my biggest fear was that the schedule on LIV 2.0 would be tough to manage," and: "I feel I have a few more years of good, competitive golf left in me, and the only way to be really sharp and competitive is through a schedule I control." He has finished as a runner-up at least once in each of the other three majors and is a former world number four.

He becomes the latest high-profile player to leave LIV, joining Thomas Pieters, Sergio Garcia, Abraham Ancer, David Puig and Adrian Meronk in announcing departures. Last week, two-time major winner Jon Rahm gave up a reported £75m owed to him by LIV Golf after reaching a separation agreement.

Some former LIV players, including Brooks Koepka, have since rejoined the PGA Tour, which rewrote its rules in December to allow the five-time major winner to return, subject to certain sanctions. Guy Kinnings, CEO of the DP World Tour, told BBC Sport earlier this month that players who continue with LIV will not be allowed to be members of the European tour next season.

The South African now plans to return to the DP World Tour in 2027. He joined LIV Golf in 2022 and was captain of the Southern Guards GC team.